Verizon promised that when it rolled out their Voice over LTE (VoLTE) service, there would be a “robust” lineup of devices that could use the service. Yet now that Verizon has officially begun to roll out their VoLTE service (called “Advanced Calling 1.0″), customers are only given two choices that are capable of using the VoLTE service: the Samsung Galaxy S5 and LG G2.

Even though a number of different Verizon devices are capable of supporting VoLTE through a software update, Verizon has not said which devices will get the update to enable VoLTE. Additionally, those with VoLTE can only experience the service if they are speaking to another who is on a VoLTE-enabled Verizon smartphone.

According to Fierce Wireless, Verizon spokeswoman Debi Lewis told them that “the list of supported devices will grow over time through software updates and new devices, too.”

With Advanced Calling 1.0, customers will be able to place HD Voice calls, 1-way or 2-way video calls and use voice/data services at the same time. Verizon is not currently charging customers any amount to enable and use their VoLTE service other than warning customers that video calls on VoLTE can consume data quickly and therefore get you closer to your data cap.

AT&T offers VoLTE only on the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and only in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

According to Sprint’s chief network officer, Dr. John Saw, Sprint has 16 million customers with access to HD voice services. Sprint launched the nationwide HD voice service two months ago. Sprint claims that the HD voice service offers improved voice quality.

Sprint states that they currently offer 30 postpaid smartphones and 33 prepaid smartphones with HD voice capability, which is significantly higher compared to the small number of VoLTE devices available to customers.

At its press conference at CES 2014, AT&T announced that it will start to rollout HD voice on its network later this year. The first phone on AT&T that will support HD voice is the new Asus Padfone X, which happens to be the first of the smartphone/tablet hybrid line to make it to the U.S.

While the phone will be the first to take advantage of higher-quality voice calls on the network, it’s likely that both people on the call have to be using a PadFone for HD voice to work. The phone will also support Voice over LTE (VoLTE), which should further enhance the quality of voice calls, but it’s not clear when AT&T will actually rollout VoLTE.

AT&T originally promised it would launch HD voice on its network last year, but it obviously missed that mark. Luckily they’ll finally be getting support off the ground in 2014, though they’ve yet to set a firm date.

Both Sprint and T-Mobile currently support HD voice, though support isn’t’t exactly universal, as not every device on the networks support the feature. In Sprint’s case, support for HD voice varies by region thanks to the different standards it applied across its network.

Hopefully AT&T’s rollout of HD voice will be a smooth one, but we wouldn’t wait to buy a new device just for the feature. Over time HD voice will be something you’ll want in every phone, but for now it’s just a promise of better sounding voice calls in the future. Assuming you still make a lot of voice calls.

As almost everyone at this point knows, Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular technology is the next generation of mobile networks. There will continue to be iterative advances, like LTE Advanced, but the core LTE technology is the new global standard for the foreseeable future.

LTE provides a wide array of improvements versus previous network standards, but there is still a major obstacle in the path to LTE-only cellular networks. Older cellular standards have always included a dedicated communications channel to carry voice calls and operate under roughly the same principles as an analogue phone switchboard. LTE is an all-IP based network standard, so it it does not natively support the antiquated circuit switched protocol. Network providers must revise their entire approach to voice call networks in order to resolve the incompatibility.

Voice over LTE (VoLTE) aims to provide the ability to handle cellular voice calls over LTE. Most major LTE network providers have announced their intentions to at least begin to deploy VoLTE within the next couple years. For a number of reasons, enabling voice calling over LTE is not so simple as just using a VOIP connection. Carriers need to be able to pass or hand off voice calls, without interruption, between the LTE networks and the legacy 2G and 3G networks. Carriers also want to protect the revenue they get from voice services; so, it is to their advantage to use a dedicated protocol like VoLTE rather than over-the-top VOIP solution.

VoLTE uses the IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem (IMS) architectural framework. IMS allows for ubiquitous multimedia access using a common IP interface. This greatly simplifies network management and provides better developer accessibility. Using this framework, connections over different protocols can be bridged together. With the IMS framework, VoLTE is able to inter-operate with circuit switched voice networks without having any dependency on or requirement for them. Additionally, the common IP interface of IMS will allow VoLTE to inter-operate with other voice networking technologies even after legacy circuit switched networks are finally phased out.

Until LTE network footprints expand to meet or eclipse those of their 2G and 3G predecessors, voice network interoperability is only the first step in enabling VoLTE. While engaged in a voice call, a user might pass outside of an LTE coverage area, so that call needs to be able to fall back onto legacy networks. The VoLTE standard accomplishes this with Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SR-VCC). With SR-VCC, when an LTE tower determines that a user might leave the coverage area during an active connection, it leverages the IMS framework to initiate a second connection over the legacy standards. Both connections are maintained until the LTE signal is lost, the LTE tower determines the user will not leave the coverage area, or the voice call ends.

SR-VCC requires the network provider to have the IMS framework in place, but it also impacts device design. To support SR-VCC, devices must not only be able to connect to both the LTE and the legacy networks, but be able to connect to both at the same time. This is governed by the antenna architecture in the device. In order to conserve space, some devices, like the iPhone 5, will have 3G and 4G traffic sharing the same physical antennae, toggling between the two standards as needed. SR-VCC requires devices to have dedicated antennae for both 3G and 4G connections. Devices that support simultaneous 3G voice and 4G data are already able to support SR-VCC.
VoLTE also supports wideband audio, or HD Voice. HD Voice more than doubles the audio frequency range for voice calls versus legacy narrowband technologies. Unlike the network upgrades many carriers have used to bring HD Voice to their 3G networks, LTE networks are able to encode wideband audio natively because they are not constrained by the limits of circuit switched networks. The IMS framework behind VoLTE allows inoperable HD Voice calling between any compatible endpoints – other VoLTE devices, devices using HD Voice over 3G, or over the top services like Skype. In HD Voice calling, only connections between capable devices are at the higher quality and connections in which either device is not capable are at the lower quality for both devices.

VoLTE serves two main purposes for the industry. First, it provides a mechanism for network providers to more seamlessly integrate their existing 2G and 3G networks with their new and developing LTE networks. This is a largely short-term interest though. In the long-term, VoLTE provides network providers with the means to completely replace their legacy networks. For consumers, this means a future of LTE-only devices with increased interoperability and higher quality voice calling.

At the VentureBeat Mobile Summit taking place in Sausalito California, AT&T Vice President Kris Rinne has announced that HD Voice will be heading to the network over the course of this year, finally catching up to certain European networks which have had this technology available for quite a while already. As the name implies, HD Voice offers higher-quality audio for phone calls.

I think that HD Voice is a little bit of a misleading buzzword though. After all, it’s only bringing phone call audio quality up to 50Hz – 7kHz frequency range that is not quite full definition for voice, which ranges from 50Hz to 14kHz. Having said that, the audio quality from HD Voice will be a noticeable improvement over the current standard, which is stuck between 300Hz and 3.4kHz.

Unfortunately for many U.S. consumers though, even if you’re an AT&T customer, you’ll need an LTE contract and compatible handset in order to make use of these higher quality calls. The problem is that handsets need to be built with codec compatible audio converters in order to make use of the improved frequency range. Most high-end handsets newer than the Galaxy S3 should be compatible, but you’ll have to double check with your carrier.

AT&T’s news is a little late compared with its competitors. T-Mobile has already announced that it will be offering HD Voice to its iPhone 5 customers in mid-April, so we can hope that the service will be available on other handsets soon after. Sprint also began a limited roll-out of its HD Voice program last year, which works on the Galaxy S3 but interestingly doesn’t support the iPhone 5. It’s all been a bit of a mess really, as capability ranges so widely across each carrier.

AT&T hasn’t announced exactly when this service will beging rolling out, but it will probably be a gradual release coinciding with the expansion of its LTE network.

Our Day 3 at CES was certainly interesting, although not as manic as the first twodays of coverage. That was until Samsung kicked of their second event at CES, one dedicated to the nitty-gritty aspects of its business. Did you ask for octo-core? You got it. Flexible displays. Why not?

Meanwhile, our team of mobile aficionadas is still hard at work looking at the new Android-powered devices on show, interviewing company representatives, and creating versus videos.

Here’s our roundup of day 3 at CES. We are preparing a lot of hands-on videos and versus videos between the hottest smartphones announced at CES, so stay tuned. Meanwhile check out our roundup of the juiciest news from day 3 of CES.

T-Mobile’s LTE is coming soon to Vegas

With the eyes of the tech world set on Las Vegas, T-Mobile thought that CES would be the perfect occasion to spread the word about its 2013 plans.

The carrier has confirmed that it will soon offer unlimited data on no-contract plans. Other exciting developments in the world of the magenta network are the new HD Voice service that T-Mo is rolling out and the much-awaited arrival of LTE. Las Vegas will be one of the first markets where T-Mobile fires up LTE, in a few weeks. More here.

The Galaxy S4 could actually be octo-core

It’s difficult to overestimate the importance of the announcements that Samsung made yesterday.

First off, the Exynos 5 Octa. The Octa is the first processor built on ARM’s big.LITTLE architecture, one that combines four Cortex A15 cores (used for intensive tasks) with four Cortex A7 cores (used when energy saving is a priority). The resulting eight-core CPU promises to be faster than anything else on the market out there, but also more forgiving on battery life than current quad-core designs. Could we see Exynos 5 Octa in the Galaxy S4?

Then there’s Youm. This is the name of Samsung’s brand of flexible displays, and apparently the name of the first smartphones to use the technology. We’ve seen flexible displays from Samsung and others manufacturers for years, but this time the Koreans seem to be actually close to putting their innovative displays into commercial devices. We can’t wait to see them. More here.

Pebble is shipping!

The poster child of crowdfunding, the Pebble E-ink smartwatch has been repeatedly delayed, but now we finally have a shipping date. Kickstarters that backed the project will get to show off their new gizmo starting January 23.

Galaxy S2 Plus – from the lolwut department

It baffles us why Samsung actually went ahead and announced the Galaxy S2 Plus. By all means, it’s a Galaxy S2 with Jelly Bean. For the love of all mobile gods, why Samsung, why?

Stay tuned for more coverage. Nobody is sleeping at Android Authority!

]]>http://www.androidauthority.com/ces-day-3-news-roundup-146406/feed/2T-Mobile getting their groove on with nationwide first HD Voice calling and LTE release in Las Vegashttp://www.androidauthority.com/t-mobile-hd-voice-and-lte-roll-out-146171/
http://www.androidauthority.com/t-mobile-hd-voice-and-lte-roll-out-146171/#commentsWed, 09 Jan 2013 18:12:36 +0000http://www.androidauthority.com/?p=146171
T-Mobile is a member of the big four in the United States and this week at CES they showed why they belong there. With other members of the big four struggling with their various tasks, such as Sprint’s horrifyingly slow LTE roll out, T-Mobile came out swinging. They have announced that they will be the first in the nation with nationwide HD Voice calling nationwide. In addition, they have announced that LTE will begin rolling out in a few weeks.

T-Mobile is currently rolling out the HD Voice. So that should be reaching everyone in the near future. HD Voice will increase the quality of audio in phone calls while decreasing the background noise. According to Engadget, some of the supported devices will be the HTC One S, Nokia Astound, and the Samsung Galaxy S III. There are likely more devices as well.

In addition to HD Voice, T-Mobile will also begin their LTE roll out. Unlike some other companies we could mention, T-Mobile seems to have done some work on their LTE network ahead of the launch. At CES 2013, CTO Neville Ray announced that T-Mobile’s LTE roll out will begin in the coming weeks. It’ll start with Las Vegas. By mid 2013, Ray states that it will reach more than 100 million customers. Sprint could learn a lot of these people.

Is T-Mobile stepping it up going to result in more business?

It could very well do just that. HD Voice may not sound like the greatest feature out there, but it is the next evolution of voice services so it’s good to see T-Mobile remaining current. The LTE roll out won’t be as important until they’ve finished and released devices that can use LTE. Currently, the Galaxy Note II is the only T-Mobile phone capable of using LTE and it’ll need a firmware update to use it.

With other carriers upgrading their network, is T-Mobile pulling ahead or merely keeping pace with the competition?

If you’re tired of poor quality voice calls then hope is on the horizon in the form of HD Voice. This is a standard that more and more phone manufacturers and mobile networks are adopting. It has been a slow roll out, but it is coming. We’re used to seeing the HD moniker on videos and TVs, but now it’s being applied to audio. Essentially though, it has the same meaning – high definition as in high resolution. Join us as we answer the question – what is HD voice?

What do you need to enjoy HD Voice?

First things first, if you are going to benefit from HD Voice you’ll need to know how to get it! To support HD Voice, a mobile phone needs suitable microphones and speakers, as well as having the new HD Voice processing software. Even if your phone is ready for HD Voice it won’t do any good if the person you’re talking to does not have a HD Voice ready phone. Therefore, all participants in a call need to have a HD Voice compatible phone.

There isn’t an easy to find directory of phones that do and don’t support HD Voice, but you should be able to find out via your network carrier’s website. On the bright side, it would be difficult to find an Android handset that doesn’t support HD Voice these days.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 supports HD Voice over LTE networks

In addition to HD Voice ready phones, you also need to be talking on a network that supports the standard too. This is because it requires a new way of translating your voice into digital ones and zeros (i.e. a “codec”). In the UK, Orange, T-Mobile, Three and Vodafone have all launched HD Voice support, leaving only O2 to catch up. In the US, only Sprint has announced HD Voice support, but is using a completely different codec to the standard that the rest of the world established, and so your HD Voice phone may not be compatible anyway. Therefore, if you live in the US, don’t expect to be enjoying HD Voice any time soon. However, things are looking better if you live in Canada.

What is HD Voice anyway?

Here’s the science part! To start with, a “codec” is short for “coder-decoder” and is how an electric signal that has been digitized is encoded for transmission between a sender and receiver. For example, consider the last MP3 you bought. The musicians created an analogue signal through their microphones which was then digitised into a series of ones and zeros by their recording equipment. That raw digital data was then put through the “MP3″ codec to compress the amount of data and make it ready for you to download to your smartphone. Part of the digitisation process depends on how well the microphone captures audio. In other words, over which frequencies does it respond the best? The question of frequency respond also applies to the equipment that the audio is played back on, like your earphones or speakers.

The newly announced Sony Xperia T will also support HD Voice

Similarly, when two mobile phones are communicating across a cellular network they have to do the same thing, except that the microphones in use are far inferior to what you would find in a recording studio, and the standard codec strips away far more data than MP3 does. That’s why we sound so awful to each other on the phone. The standard codec for mobile phone calls is called Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR), and is designed to work with a frequency range of 300–3400 Hz. In contrast, the HD Voice codec, Adaptive Multi-Rate Wide Band (AWB, AMR-WB) works with a much wider frequency range, 50–7000 Hz. That means much more of your voice is retained and sent to the person you’re talking to. There’s a variant of AMR-WB called Variable-Rate Multimode Wideband (VMR-WB), which is compatible and works in much the same way.

In both cases, the HD Voice codecs use the same amount of data [as AMR] to communicate a much richer block of audio, and they do this by cleverly adapting the rate at which they sample the incoming audio. For simple audio signals, either codec ‘spends’ less data on describing the signal to the receiver. However, when the audio becomes much more complicated, either codec can increase the sampling rate, i.e. the resolution, and use much more data to represent the audio signal, thus maintaining a higher quality level than before.

As a very basic example of this kind of variable sampling rate, see the diagram below to show the effect of going from a constant sampling rate (i.e. how often the recording equipment measures the loudness of the audio), to a variable sampling rate, and the details that are gained when the sampling rate can change. AMR-WB is also said to have superior noise cancelling technology, although this appears to be part of the patented secrets of the technology. It’s because of the greater frequency range handled by AMR-WB and VMR-WB that smartphones need superior microphones and speakers. The hardware has to be able to respond to, and express, the full set of frequencies that the codec is made to handle.

And finally

Here’s a demo that was conducted by the UK branch of Engadget when HD Voice was launched by Orange in the UK.

Canadian carriers Rogers and Fido are now offering HD Voice. In simple terms it means better call quality, as the name suggests. In an email to Mobile Syrup Rogers explained,

“Rogers Network is capable of supporting HD Voice for devices that are HD voice compliant. Customers with handsets that support HD voice will experience clearer call quality and enhanced suppression of background noise. This feature is only available between two 3G/4G handsets on our network that are both HD voice compliant.”

As smartphones evolve and gain better processors, bigger displays, and faster wireless connectivity, one wonders what technology can offer to improve the quality of voice calls, an aspect that carriers don’t seem to consider a top priority. Answering the challenge, SK Telecom, South Korea’s biggest telecommunication provider, is set to be the first carrier in the world to offer HD Voice service over LTE for its 4 million LTE subscribers.

The HD Voice service will be launched tomorrow on August 8, with Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE becoming the first handset to make use of SK’s HD Voice technology. Running on an IP-based network and using high-quality audio codec, the voice calls quality will be dramatically improved, and users can expect to experience reduced latency, as well as lowered connection times.

The VoLTE service has wider frequency bandwidth than the 3G network, which means customers will be connected to the calls 20 times faster. Instead of waiting for 5 seconds, which is the average time it takes to connect a voice call over a 3G network, with VoLTE, the waiting time for the calls to be connected will be reduced to between 0.25 to 2.5 seconds.

Customers need not worry about seeing their phone bill going through the roof, as SK Telecom said that the VoLTE billing rates would be priced similarly to the carrier’s 3G voice network. The wireless carrier is hoping to bring the technology to more phones, but it hasn’t specified which device will get the necessary update. It’s only fitting that the Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE, the most popular Korean smartphone in the world, will get the first honor.

U.S. folks who are green with envy at the prospect of getting crystal clear in-call audio quality can look forward to similar HD voice service on Sprint’s 4G LTE network by the end of the year.